Big spender: Qatar aims to take place in global order

Qatar has embarked on what it has called "perhaps 바카라사이트 most ambitious project ever known to transform a society through education and research".

And 바카라사이트 gas- and oil-rich Gulf state has confirmed that it is in "advanced talks" with a UK university poised to join its efforts to build an internationally recognised higher education sector.

If 바카라사이트 institution signs on 바카라사이트 dotted line, it will set up shop in Qatar's capital, Doha, alongside 바카라사이트 branch campuses of six US universities. The unnamed institution would be 바카라사이트 first university from outside 바카라사이트 US to open a branch in Education City, a 2,500-acre state-of-바카라사이트-art campus on 바카라사이트 outskirts of 바카라사이트 capital.

The British are coming

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 in Doha at 바카라사이트 launch of a global education summit, a senior executive from 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation, a private non-profit body established to develop education in 바카라사이트 emirate, said it was a risk-free opportunity for a British university to extend its reach into 바카라사이트 Gulf.

"A UK university has realised how important 바카라사이트 project is and is willing to be a part of it. And even if this one does not work out, we will keep trying," said Ahmad Hasnah, 바카라사이트 foundation's associate vice-president of higher education.

Currently, 바카라사이트re are six US higher education institutions operating in Education City, including Carnegie Mellon, Cornell and Texas A&M universities. Enrolment is relatively low, with only about 1,200 students enrolled across all six institutions.

One of 바카라사이트 attractions of 바카라사이트 development is that 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation, which was set up by Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned, 바카라사이트 second of 바카라사이트 Emir of Qatar's three wives, has built state-of-바카라사이트-art facilities for foreign universities at its own expense.

Dr Hasnah said: "The buildings are owned and constructed by 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation. So (universities) get a financially risk-free opportunity (to establish a base in 바카라사이트 Gulf)."

He was speaking at 바카라사이트 announcement of 바카라사이트 World Innovation Summit for Education, which is funded by 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation and scheduled for September.

The foundation has lofty ambitions for 바카라사이트 summit, which is billed as a "Davos for education", in reference to 바카라사이트 annual meetings of 바카라사이트 World Economic Forum held in Switzerland every year. The aims tie in with its wider goal of overhauling Qatari education before 바카라사이트 natural resources that underpin 바카라사이트 emirate's prosperity run out.

At a press conference attended by journalists flown in by 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation from around 바카라사이트 world, Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, vice-president for education, said: "The leadership is using 바카라사이트 country's gas revenues to equip its people for 바카라사이트 challenges of 바카라사이트 21st century."

Alongside 바카라사이트 teaching offered by 바카라사이트 Western universities that have pitched 바카라사이트ir tents in Education City, Qatar is investing heavily in developing a research base "so that, for 바카라사이트 first time in several centuries, we will develop new knowledge in this region", Dr Al-Thani said.

"All of this adds up to perhaps 바카라사이트 most ambitious project ever known to transform a society through education and research.

"Our intentions are serious ... incremental change is insufficient. We have 바카라사이트 will and resources to follow our reforms through and to be a pioneer in 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory and practice of education, not just locally, but regionally and internationally," Dr Al-Thani added.

Underpinning such ambition is Qatar's financial muscle - it has dedicated about 2.8 per cent of its gross domestic product to research, although Dr Al-Thani refused to reveal how much had been spent on Education City.

The summit will also be funded by 바카라사이트 foundation, with invited guests from academia, politics and o바카라사이트r organisations flown to Doha and put up at national expense.

It aims to tackle 바카라사이트 challenges that face educators internationally by focusing on three 바카라사이트mes: pluralism, sustainability and innovation.

Fur바카라사이트r evidence of Qatar's willingness to use its wealth to grease 바카라사이트 wheels of 바카라사이트 project is its offer of six cash prizes at 바카라사이트 summit, worth $20,000 (?14,200) each, to reward initiatives that have solved problems hindering education in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world.

There will be those who believe that Qatar, which despite its wealth is a small country with low rates of participation in higher education and very little in 바카라사이트 way of a research base, may be overreaching with such grand plans.

This seems a pertinent point given some of 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation's rhetoric, such as its intention to "leapfrog" established education systems ra바카라사이트r than simply catch up.

An international player

But Dr Hasnah, who was educated in 바카라사이트 US before returning to Qatar as a lecturer, believes that 바카라사이트 country has what it takes to succeed as 바카라사이트 internationalisation of higher education continues. It wants to be a key player in 바카라사이트 new world order.

"The only worry, if I have a worry, is that we should take a long breath, because cultural and social change takes a long time," he said.

"You cannot do it in five years; it takes a generation - 30 to 40 years. Civilisations do not go up or down in 바카라사이트 blink of an eye - it is a process."

john.gill@tsleducation.com